December 2008

[Source: Vendée Globe] Jean-Pierre Dick looks set to give up his battle to stay in the Vendée Globe after a collision during his night which removed his port rudder and assembly off the transom of Paprec-Virbac 2.

The Nicois skipper considered tonight that his race is over. After damaging his starboard rudder in a similar type of collision with a semi-submerged object 16 days ago when he was leading the race, Dick had fought valiantly to make a repair, and was in sixth position when the cruel blow occurred.

He was sailing at around 15 knots of boat speed, under mainsail and gennaker when incident happened during the hours of darkness.

The skipper reported to his shore team that he has no idea what the object was. He immediately slowed the boat, reduced sail to two reefs and a staysail and turned on to the opposite gybe so that he could steer with his starboard rudder.

Video highlights from day 52 of the Vendée Globe. 31 December 2008. Video copyright Vendée Globe

His position was approximately 47 deg 49.53 S, 143 deg 08.10 W. That places him about 1700 miles south of the French Polynesian Islands, 2700 miles WNW of Cape Horn, and about 1800 miles from New Zealand.

The Nicois skipper is unharmed, there is no other damage reported to the boat and he is making a compass course of about 350 degrees towards the South Pacific high pressure system which will initially provide calmer winds and seas while he and his team assess the options.

“At 13h00 (GMT), Paprec-Virbac 2 was sailing on the starboard tack under mainsail and gennaker at 15 knots. I was sleeping and heard a big-bang, a loud noise. I rushed outside and saw the port rudder was out of the water and was wobbling around. The whole structure has been damaged. I was just about to put on my foulies, when the whole thing broke off and fell in the water. It all happened in less than a minute. It had to be the port rudder when the starboard one was already damaged. I hit a UFO, probably a growler, and it’s extremely depresssing to see that again. Sailing with one rudder would be dangerous. The Vendée Globe is over for me.” Reported Dick.

“It was a dark night and suddenly there was a very violent hit and carbon breaking noise, I woke up very rapidly.” Jean-Pierre told the special radio broadcast, “I woke up rapidly and when I got out I could see the port rudder was up and a few seconds later the whole thing, the cassette, everything, dropped and sank deep into the Pacific. I could only watch.”

“ I am heading north to try to reach the anticyclone zone to avoid the stronger winds. Then I will choose between the French Pacific Islands or New Zealand.”

“It is so very disappointing. There is such a lot of work to participate and try to win. It is a four year campaign with a new boat, and a lot of big personal involvements. It’s your whole life. And everything is gone. You are without that objective. It is not good.” Dick said.

On the last day of 2008 the leaders are on the straight line to Cape Horn, 1600 miles away, with Michel Desjoyeaux holding a lead of just less than 100 miles over Roland Jourdain. The leaders now have to choose between heading south in search of stronger winds or keep with the straight line course and risk less consistent breezes nearer the Chilean coast.

Meantime British skippers Brian Thompson (Bahrain Team Pindar) in ninth place and Steve White (Toe in the Water) are battling with their electrical and mechanical problems as they struggle into the New Year. Thomspson is struggling with what may be an electrical fault with his alternators, while White has had to slow to a near halt to, again, try to construct a fully functioning, autopilot from his faulty ones.

A note again on the unreliability of the mileages on the rankings tables at the present time. The problem is in the method that is used to calculate the distance remaining to the finish via the security gates. At present when the competitor passes the east edge of the gate in the south then they are credited with a big mileage gain.

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

[Source: Vendée Globe] At around 1300hrs GMT, Vendee Globe skipper Jean-Pierre Dick suffered a collision with a solid object which is reported to have removed the port rudder and most of its assembly from the stern of Paprec-Virbac 2.

Dick has explained how he was alseep when he was awoken by a loud bang and the brutal crunch of breaking carbon. He was pulling on his foul weather trousers quickly and got into cockpit just in time to see the damaged, twisted assembly fall into the water off the transom.

“I was sleeping and heard a big bang, a loud noise. I rushed outside and saw the port rudder was out of the water and was wobbling around. The whole structure has been damaged. I was just about to put on my foulies, when the whole thing broke off and fell in the water. It all happened in less than a minute. It had to be the port rudder when the starboard one was already damaged. I hit a UFO, probably a growler.

” It is extremely depresssing to see that. Sailing with one rudder would be dangerous. The Vendée Globe is over for me.”

He was sailing at around 15 knots of boat speed, under mainsail and gennaker when incident happened during the hours of darkness.

The skipper reported to his shore team that he has no idea what the object was. He immediately slowed the boat, reduced sail to two reefs and a staysail and turned on to the opposite gybe so that he could steer with his starboard rudder.

His position was approximately 47 deg 49.53 S, 143 deg 08.10 W. That places him about 1700 miles south of the French Polynesian Islands, 2700 miles WNW of Cape Horn, and about 1800 miles from New Zealand.

The Nicois skipper is unharmed, there is no other damage reported to the boat and he is making a compass course of about 350 degrees towards the South Pacific high pressure system which will initially provide calmer winds and seas while he and his team assess the options.

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

[Source: Vendée Globe] At around 1300hrs GMT, Vendee Globe skipper Jean-Pierre Dick suffered a collision with a solid object which is reported to have removed the port rudder and most of its assembly from the stern of Paprec-Virbac 2.

Dick has explained how he was alseep when he was awoken by a loud bang and the brutal crunch of breaking carbon. He was pulling on his foul weather trousers quickly and got into cockpit just in time to see the damaged, twisted assembly fall into the water off the transom.

“I was sleeping and heard a big bang, a loud noise. I rushed outside and saw the port rudder was out of the water and was wobbling around. The whole structure has been damaged. I was just about to put on my foulies, when the whole thing broke off and fell in the water. It all happened in less than a minute. It had to be the port rudder when the starboard one was already damaged. I hit a UFO, probably a growler.

” It is extremely depresssing to see that. Sailing with one rudder would be dangerous. The Vendée Globe is over for me.”

He was sailing at around 15 knots of boat speed, under mainsail and gennaker when incident happened during the hours of darkness.

The skipper reported to his shore team that he has no idea what the object was. He immediately slowed the boat, reduced sail to two reefs and a staysail and turned on to the opposite gybe so that he could steer with his starboard rudder.

His position was approximately 47 deg 49.53 S, 143 deg 08.10 W. That places him about 1700 miles south of the French Polynesian Islands, 2700 miles WNW of Cape Horn, and about 1800 miles from New Zealand.

The Nicois skipper is unharmed, there is no other damage reported to the boat and he is making a compass course of about 350 degrees towards the South Pacific high pressure system which will initially provide calmer winds and seas while he and his team assess the options.

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

Port rudder destroyed on Paprec-Virbac 2

Original post by Bruce and software by Elliott Back

[Source: 2009 A-Cat Worlds Media Center] Five times A-Cat World Champion Glenn Ashby reminded everyone just why he is the A-Cat King today. He has produced a dominating display in the five race Australian A-Cat titles on Lake Macquarie. His scorecard was 1, 1,3,3,1 – an impressive result in an 85 boat fleet.

The vertically challenged sailor, he is only 5 foot six inches (1.68 metres) has blistering speed, surprising when another six inches or 150mm would get more weight to windward.

Ashby has a different trapezing style to most of his competitors; his body is much lower on the boat, his airborne hull seems to just skim over the waves. His head is so low it’s clear he often can’t see the leeward hull, but his boat is flat and flat is fast.

Glenn Ashby (right) and James Spithill racing in the 2009 A-Cat Pre-Worlds. Belmont, Australia, 31 December 2008. Photo copyright Sail-World.com /AUS

Ashby says ‘It comes from the Tornado. Darren (Bundock) is a low trapper and I need to be lower than helm, so I’ve always been a very low trapper. It provides maximum efficiency and I need that because I am far from tall.’

As well as speed, Ashby has always been a very smart sailor; he has five A-Cat World titles to prove that. But his silver medal Olympic Tornado campaign has sharpened his course skills even more, in the last two years especially.

He agrees. ‘The last two years of the Tornado campaign have certainly improved my racing skills. Things like picking starting positions and shifts. The Olympic campaign has polished up some of the edges.’

‘I guess it comes out best on tricky days. Today was a really ‘woolly’ day; we had a westerly from 6 knots to 28 knots, shifty, puffy wind. Really tricky conditions. There were some huge snakes and ladders. It was not a speed day; it was an eyes out of the boat day.’

In the first race of the day, the fourth in the series, Steve Brewin won from Tom Slingsby, Glenn Ashby and Brad Collett. In Race Five, Ashby took the gun from Andrew Landerberger and Brad Collett. Slingsby was seventh.

2007 Australian A Class Champion Steve Brewin commented back in the boat park, ‘Glenn is always very hard to beat, so it was nice to do that in the first race today. On Monday he gave us a sailing lesson right from the start and that was a wake up call.

‘I would have said that Tom Slingsby is probably the biggest improver that I’ve seen in a long while, in the shortest time. Today he had a 2 and a 7. Scott Anderson’s doing a lot of training with Tom and certainly he’s come up to pace.’

In fourth place overall was BMW Oracle America’s Cup match racer James Spithill, who had a 16, 12 day after a second and seven yesterday.

‘I’ve been able to string together a few good results. However I think my family who were watching on the first day, just think it’s a miracle I have not capsized. I’ve almost done it coming into the finish. Yesterday in one race, closing on the finish line I just pulled off this gybe and my boat was right on the edge. I somehow flattened it out and it was a Spithill family disappointment, obviously’ he laughed.

Slingsby, dual World Laser champion is another freshman in the A-Cat’s who is messing with the pecking order.

He came ashore today with a huge grin on his face, after a second in this morning’s race ahead of his Australian Sailing Team mate Ashby and then a seventh this afternoon.

Slingsby commented ‘Starting catamarans is a whole new thing for me, so timed runs in are a bit different for me; but it’s pretty crazy. I’ve been lucky to get off the start so far. I had one bad one yesterday.

‘Glenn’s quick. It’s not the only thing. I think off the start line people can match him; he’s just smart and his boat handling is better than everyone else’s.

‘In one race I saw him duck ten boats. It was just one of the biggest duckings, but then he came out and went the right way and was gone. I think his ’smarts’ are what are getting him in front of everyone. He knows how to sail his boat, that’s for sure.

‘I like plenty of wind because I am a bitter heavier than most. The more shifts the better, (like today) I think. I’d prefer having a bit more of a mind game than everyone else. But it’s fun, it’s a great boat, a great class and I’m really enjoying it’ concluded Slingsby.

The A-Cat Worlds commence at Belmont 16 foot Sailing Club on Lake Macquarie on the 3rd January, with the Practice race. The Championship starts on January 3rd and racing concludes on the 9th January.

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

The leading two boats are expected through the last of the Southern Ocean gates today

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

Olympic sailors featured strongly in today’s New Year’s Honours List

Original post by Bruce and software by Elliott Back

But newcomers such as James Spithill and Tom Slingsby also in the chocolates at the A-Cat pre-Worlds

Original post by Bruce and software by Elliott Back

Vendee Globe leaders set to turn the corner and head for Cape Horn later today

Original post by Bruce and software by Elliott Back

My vertical foil has now been fully bonded together, and is ready for trimming to shape (hence the holes you can see in the photos). My target weight for the vertical has been achieved with it coming in at 1.524 kg, before trimming.

Assuming the material that is yet be removed will equal the weight of the glue and carbon that is to be added when bonding the horizontal to the vertical, I have achieved my 2.5 kg target weight, and I think that I have increased my foil stiffness by 4-5 times my current one.

The difference between this foil and my current one should be the moth equivalent of bolting on twin turbos.

Original post by Bruce and software by Elliott Back

Prizes awarded for the Rolex Sydney Hobart

Original post by Bruce and software by Elliott Back

Dutch solo sailor in Portimao Global Ocean Race rescue

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

69 year old Dutch solo skipper plucked from sinking yacht mid-Indian Ocean in the Portimao Global Ocean Race

Original post by Bruce and software by Elliott Back

Leaders extend away as Josse and Hatfield retire from the Vendee Globe

Original post by Bruce and software by Elliott Back

Briton Sam Davies moves up to seventh place despite rudder problems

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

Cookson 50 disqualified from Rolex Sydney Hobart race

Original post by Bruce and software by Elliott Back

Grand gathering in Hobart for this week’s world championship

Original post by Bruce and software by Elliott Back

Jonny Malbon may be among the tailenders in the Vendee Globe, but, as he points out, he is still in there…

Original post by Bruce and software by Elliott Back

Here is a great way to build a new boat for your coach or rescue. I am not sure about it’s performance in waves though.

via failblog.org

Original post by Bruce and software by Elliott Back

Bob Steel’s TP52 Quest takes overall handicap win. Johno Fullerton reports

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

Spreader repairs cannot be made without outside assistance reports Derek Hatfield

Original post by Bruce and software by Elliott Back

BT skipper retires from the Vendee Globe

Original post by Bruce and software by Elliott Back

Victorian sailor struck down in A Class Aussie Nationals

Original post by Bruce and software by Elliott Back

Bob Steel’s TP52 Quest takes Tattersall’s Cup for the Rolex Sydney Hobart

Original post by Bruce and software by Elliott Back

Mid-Southern Ocean canting keel problems for Open 40 skipper Nico Budel

Original post by Bruce and software by Elliott Back

Bob Oatley’s 30m supermaxi takes line honours for the fourth time. Johno Fullerton reports

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

As Vendee Globe fleet continued to be battered by storm force winds that have caused damage to Seb Josse’s BT

Original post by Bruce and software by Elliott Back

The vertical spars went in like a treat.

There was an absolute minimum of wasted glue, and the resulting single skin is now very, very stiff. The next task is to work out where the extra reinforcements will go, that are designed to stop this type of failure, as well as the tube for the control rod then it is time to put it all together. The plan is to do all that tomorrow.

Original post by Bruce and software by Elliott Back

Reactions from 50 and 60ft arrivals in the Rolex Sydney Hobart

Original post by Bruce and software by Elliott Back

TP52s are in the frame for this year’s overall prize in the Rolex Sydney Hobart

Original post by Bruce and software by Elliott Back

Wild Oats XI beats Skandia to the line in the Rolex Sydney Hobart

Original post by Bruce and software by Elliott Back

On leg three of the Volvo Ocean Race and whether the demise of Team Russia is temporary

Original post by Bruce and software by Elliott Back

The tight race to the gate continues in the Portimao Global Ocean Race

Original post by Bruce and software by Elliott Back

Wild Oats Xl and Skandia battle it out for honours and possibly the record, Johno Fullerton reports

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

Wild Oats 1 - shark 0 as Skandia resumes the lead

Original post by Bruce and software by Elliott Back

With a busy work schedule leading up to Christmas and christmas itself, there has been very little movement on the new centreboard.

Well I got back into it today with the pull-trusion being glued onto one side of the vertical.

With this foil I am making a conscious effort to take things slow and steady, with a view to maximise strength per gram in the construction. When planning this foil, I thought that I would only be able to get a single length of pull-trusion in the foil and laying flat with a ton of glue to match the square shape into the angle of the foil.

Needless to say I am very happy that I managed to get two full lengths, on edge, essentially forming a box section right through the entire length of the foil, which will give a significant improvement on my current, “soft centre” main foil. (Before anyone mentions it, the screw through the mould and the pull-trusion that looks like it was not straight were adjusted after this photo was taken. Also if you are wondering you are looking at the end of the mould which used to be attached to the square horizontals.)

This new construction method is working out as a much better way for part timers like myself. It removes the need to perform a single, huge one day effort, and makes it a series of nice, simple 1-2 hour jobs, and if you were making multiple foils, you could build several in parallel.

Original post by Bruce and software by Elliott Back

As Victorian yacht takes the handicap lead in the Rolex Sydney Hobart race

Original post by Bruce and software by Elliott Back

The crew of the Farr 53 had to abandon the yacht in a sinking condition after Georgia broke her rudder

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

As Quest is ahead on handicap as the Rolex Sydney Hobart leaders tackle Bass Strait

Original post by Bruce and software by Elliott Back

14 crew rescued from Farr 53 in Rolex Sydney Hobart

Original post by Bruce and software by Elliott Back

 Cinq challengers supplémentaires, dont deux challengers de la 32e America’s Cup, ont présenté un Mémoire d’Amicus Curiae en soutien à la Société Nautique de Genève contre BMW Oracle Racing…

Original post by Alinghi News and software by Elliott Back